The Pittsburgh Steelers held their final training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., on Wednesday, but it didn’t go off without a hitch as three players left practice with injuries.
LB Patrick Queen got the day off as Mike Tomlin said he would on Monday, the team wanting to get more reps for rookie LB Payton Wilson.
C/G Nate Herbig left practice with an injury, which could hurt his chances to win the starting center job. It looked to be a potential left arm injury for Herbig.
CB Grayland Arnold also suffered an injury during practice and left on a cart, which could hurt his chances of making Pittsburgh’s 53-man roster depending on the severity of the injury. Head coach Mike Tomlin called it a calf injury for Arnold speaking to reporters after practice, via Steelers.com.
Rookie WR Roman Wilson did not practice again after suffering an ankle sprain on the first day of pads. Tomlin said there’s no update on Wilson’s status.
In better news, OLB Alex Highsmith did return to practice, although in a limited capacity, after suffering a groin injury last week. It was a good sign for the Steelers to get one of their premier pass rushers back healthy and on the field.
DT Keeanu Benton returned to practice after suffering an eye injury in the preseason opener on Friday. Meanwhile, OG Isaac Seumalo, OLB T.J. Watt and DL Cameron Heyward got a veteran’s day off.
CB Donte Jackson and DL DeMarvin Leal were working off to the side but did not practice as they work their way back from undisclosed injuries. Leal did go through stretch lines but did not practice.
RB Jonathan Ward got injured during practice, as he had ice on his knee and was sitting on a cooler on the sideline and later exited practice. Tomlin said Ward suffered a hamstring injury.
The three injuries suffered by Arnold, Herbig and Ward are particularly noteworthy due to the impact they might have when it comes to roster decisions and the starting lineup. Arnold and Ward are both on the roster bubble. Any injury that causes them to miss time is going to hurt them when it comes down to whittling the roster to 53. While Herbig will likely still have a roster spot, if he misses time it could affect his chances of starting at center, which already dwindled with two exchanges with QB Justin Fields that led to fumbles in the preseason opener.
We’ll likely hear more on the status of Arnold, Herbig and Ward in the coming days.
That’s a wrap on Pittsbugh’s 2024 training camp, but the team will have a joint practice with the Buffalo Bills tomorrow before its second preseason matchup against Buffalo Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium.
